Let Me Be Your Wings
by buckwolvhoosier
Summary: King Galbatorix shrinks his only daughter as punishment for helping the Varden. As she goes on an incredible journey, she falls in love with Eragon. Can they sustain their love, or will her curse keep them from ever truly being together?
1. Prologue

Let Me Be Your Wings- Intro

Gwen groaned as her head hit the wall, knocking the wind out of her. With her head spinning, she did her best to focus in on her father who stood a good ten feet away. He bellowed, "I warned you to never disobey me again, but you had to try to contact the Varden again, didn't you?"

A tear rolled down Gwen's cheek. She knew that she could not escape his wrath this time; communicating with the Varden and the princess of Alagaesia was extremely risky, but she attempted it anyways, she had to. Of course, her father intercepted the letter and discovered its origins to her. Now, all she could do is helplessly wait for her fate to be sealed.

The King strode forward, his cape flowing freely behind him. His eyes were dark and cold. In his hand, he had a staff with a black gem wound at the top with gold. He pointed the staff at her and commanded her to stand up. Weakly, she grasped the wall to help her catch her footing. Once erect, she pressed herself up against the wall, waiting for him to kill her.

The King started to speak the Ancient Language. Her body writhed in agony as the black magic hit her. Yet, no matter how much pain she was in, she did not die. She opened her eyes and saw that her father grew taller and taller, but never seemed to reach the top of the palace roof. It suddenly occurred to her that he did not grow at all, rather, she was getting smaller. When the spell ended, she was no larger than a thumb, an average man's thumb that is. She was terribly confused why her father shrank her instead of killed her. Probably reading her mind, her father stooped down and scooped her up with his large fingers. Gwen could not hold her balance and collapsed on his palm. She looked up at him as he began to laugh.

"I cannot kill you because your damned mother placed a spell on that deflects all means of me killing you. Anyways, sometimes it is better to torture than kill, and in your case, it proved true. You will spend the rest of your pitiful existence the size of a walnut."

Gwen wept placing her minuscule hands in her face. She wished that her mother never placed that curse in her so that she could escape the cruel world, but alas, fate had a different plan for her.


	2. Chapter 1

Let Me Be Your Wings – Chapter 1

King Galbatorix kept his daughter in a glass jar with holes poked in the lid. At meal time, the servants would unscrew the lid and throw small chunks of food into the jar for her to eat. No blanket, pillow, or other comforts were given to her as she lived in the glass prison. The King kept the jar hidden in his private chambers, his servants sworn to secrecy to tell no one about the spell.

A few of the king's subjects asked about the missing princess, and the news Galbatorix revealed to them made them all distressed. He had told them that Gwen had been murdered by a spy from the Varden. Time passed, and so did the grief of the kingdom.

Poor Gwen lived in the jar in constant agony, for she knew that she could never go back to her old life. All she wanted was to help her people from the tyranny of her father, but all hope of resistance faded from her heart. Some evenings, her father would talk to her about court and news from the kingdom. One night, he revealed a certain fear that he managed to keep hidden. He told Gwen that there is a new Dragon Rider in Alagaesia and that the rider gave no signs of joining the Empire.

Gwen reveled with the news, hope rekindled. Her chances of escape were impossible, but chances of someone resisting her father were not. At night she had dreams of the rider defeating her father and discovering her existence. As months passed without an attack, Gwen began to go back to her depressed stupor. Galbatorix grew restless and tired of Gwen so he made plans and shipped her off to a new location outside of Urû' baen…

Eragon awoke, cold and sore. His mind was fuzzy making it hard to think without getting a headache. He sat up and looked around. He was in a small room with solid stone floors and walls. A single door led to a long corridor dotted with many rooms similar to his. Above his head, was a small window with bars. Standing up, he looked outside only to see that his vision was at ground level.

He sat down again and cursed his ill luck. He knew that he was imprisoned at Gil'ead. Once more he tried to think, but that made his head hurt. Finally, he gave up and lied down, dozing off into sleep. The door opened startling Eragon. A soldier entered carrying a tray of food and a pitcher of water. When the man left, Eragon quickly devoured the food and drink. Satisfied, he sat down, doodling in the dirt with his finger.

Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep again. Hours passed. When he woke up, his head was still dizzy, but not as bad as it was before. He was able to recall bits and pieces of the Ancient Language making him very happy. The door opened again when more food and water came. Eragon was about to take a sip of water when he suddenly detected a strange smell. _The water is poisoned, and the food as well! _ His revelation was taken with ill humor as he tossed the food out the window. _If I can manage to not eat for at least a few more hours, I should be able to recall more and find a way to escape this place._ He settled into a nap with that thought in mind.

The sound of soldiers marching woke him. He groaned and walked over to the door. Parading down the hallway was the King's men. That's when it suddenly hit Eragon; he was captured by urgals, not men! Confused, he continued to watch the men pass by. A few minutes passed before a break in the procession came. A woman with raven black hair, almond shaped eyes, and wearing a shirt and trousers was being carried. She was unconscious and badly wounded. Anger flooded through Eragon as he recognized the woman from his dreams. Before she left his line of vision, her hair shifted revealing a pointed ear. _She's an elf!_

He bunched up his fists and almost said an incantation that would have knocked out the soldiers, but he stayed his hand realizing that there were just too many men to take down at once. Citing a spell that could render them unconscious would kill him in the process. He sighed and walked away from the door making a silent oath that he would rescue the woman somehow.

He was busy thinking of a plan when the cell door opened for a third time. Instead of a soldier walking in with food, it was a tall man wearing a long, black cloak. His hair and eyes were maroon. Fear struck Eragon as he looked up at the Shade. _ Stay calm; everything will be ok if you act like you don't know what is going on._

Behind the Shade, soldiers lurked, waiting for orders. The man stopped in the middle of the room and started down at Eragon. "Greetings, I have waited a long time to see you."

"Who are you?" asked Eragon, his throat parched. He hoped that the Shade would not notice his discomfort, or else the shade would know he hasn't been drinking, or eating.

"No one of consequence," he said, his voice loud and deep. "My name does not matter to one in your position. I am much more interested in you. Who are you?"

"My name is Eragon, but that is not all I am, is it?"

"No, it isn't." The shade shifted his feet, then said, "What is your name."

"Era-"

"No, not that one! Your other name."

_He wants my true name so he can control me! But, I don't even know what it is myself, so even if I wanted to, I could not tell him what it is. Wait! What if I made up a name?_ Eragon skimmed through the Ancient Language until he settled on a name that might scare off the Shade. "I was told what it was once, I believe it was Du Sundavar Freohr." This meant almost quite literally as "death of the shadows."

The Shade stiffened and remained silent as if in deep thought. Then, he turned to his guards and motioned one to his side. The Shade whispered something in the man's ear. The soldier nodded and left the room when the Shade finished. "I supposed you think you are very clever, Eragon. We shall see if you are telling the truth here soon enough." A crooked smile crossed his lips revealing pointed teeth.

Long, uncomfortable minutes passed before the soldier returned with an object. It was cylindrical and covered with a cloth. The soldier gave the object to the Shade. From under the cloth, Eragon swore he heard muffled noises, but shook his head. _Have you gone mad?I_

The Shade looked at Eragon and said, "You look very confused." He laughed, then went on to say, "I want to show you a very peculiar way a traitor was handled."

Eragon gulped. _Whatever is hidden under that cloth cannot be good, possibly limbs from some poor prisoner. _Thinking of such things made him sick. He held his breath when the cloth was taken off revealing a very tiny girl caged in a glass jar.

Eragon's jaw dropped; he prepared himself for severed limbs, not a living person! The woman behind the glass was young, and beautiful. She had long golden hair, blue eyes, and a slender body. What her normal height was he could not guess, but from what he saw, she was no taller than 3 inches. Her clothes were tattered and her demeanor weak and depressed. His heart bled at the pitiful sight and wondered why she was punished in this fashion.

"Eragon, meet the girl we all call Thumbelina. She disobeyed the King and was punished accordingly. I did not bring her before you to show you what will happen to you, I show her to express the powers that you protest against. Join the Empire, and you will learn such powers and be free."

Eragon was sick, and angry. "I'll die first."

"That might happen, but alas, not today." The woman stood up and walked to the edge of the jar, placing her palms up against the glass. She looked helplessly at Eragon. The Shade shook the container sending her tumbling down. "What is your name? Is it really Du Sundavar Freohr? You know, at this height and her being so small and delicate, the fall would kill her." He led the glass slip within his fingers. The woman screamed. Eragon gasped. "That's what I thought, you lied to me, Eragon."

The Shade covered the jar and walked out of the room leaving Eragon to ponder what had happened.


	3. Chapter 2

Gwen was sitting down, looking at Durza as he wrote vigorously on some parchment. When he had finished, he glanced at Gwen for a moment, smiled evilly, then left, taking the parchment with him. _Eragon is doomed, and so am I. _She sighed. With nothing better to do, she rested her head against the glass and stared off into space.

"Look, I am not crazy! She is real!" Eragon protested against Murtagh. They were in the middle of their escape, the unconscious elf already strung across Murtagh's back. "I will find her and save her."

"At what cost Eragon? Are you really going to risk our escape for some fantastically small woman, one who I do not think can possibly exist. I am telling you that she is a figment of your imagination, you were drugged heavily. Now, let's go!" Murtagh was fed up with Eragon and wanted to leave immediately. He worked hard to form this plan with Eragon's dragon, Saphira, and he wasn't going to have anyone compromise it.

"Then you go on ahead. I will find another escape." Eragon started to walk away. Murtagh cursed and began following him.

"If she is real, how do you expect to find her in this place? It will be like finding a needle in a haystack!"

"I have an idea." Eragon stayed close to the walls and crept slowly down the corridor. They rounded a corner and came face to face with a guard. Before he could sound an alarm, Eragon covered his mouth, grabbed the soldier's dagger, and placed it at the man's throat. Eragon then whispered "Where is the Shade keeping the small woman? She was in a jar and I will not rest until I find her. I am going to release my hands from your mouth, and if you dare scream, I will use a harsher method to extract the information I seek. Is that clear? By my honor as a Rider, I will not kill you." The soldier nodded, scared of what the Rider might do to him. Eragon released his hand.

"She is being held in Durza's study. It's in the east wing of the castle. Just follow this corridor, take a right and you will find some stairs. Take them all the way to the top and take another right. You follow that hall until you find a door with the King's insignia. That is where you will find her."

Eragon memorized the soldier's words. "Thank you." Eragon uttered something in the Ancient Language that rendered the man unconscious. They dragged him to a room and closed the door. "Now, let's go get her." Eragon turned to leave, but suddenly halted when Murtagh grabbed his arm.

"Eragon, this is suicide. How do you know that he was telling the truth? He told you to head for Durza's private study! Don't do this, Eragon. I fear for your life."

"And what of her life? Is she not human as well; does she not deserve to live just because she was cast under a terrible spell? Murtagh, I understand the danger, but something is propelling me forward. I cannot ignore this feeling."

"What of me? Hmm. I am carrying an unconscious elf on my back. How do you think I can fare sneaking around after you with her?" He scowled.

"Listen, just follow your plan the way you designed it. Once Saphira rescues you and the elf from the common room, have her fly to study, there is bound to be a window I can escape through. We can do this. Now, go. Time is running out before we are discovered missing."

Murtagh reluctantly left Eragon. Eragon was about to turn and run in the direction that the soldier had directed him, but he suddenly had an idea that would allow him to evade the soldiers better. He ran to the room where the unconscious soldier lay and stripped him of his armor. Eragon threw off his soiled clothing and put on the armor. When he was dressed, he walked freely down the corridor, strutting arrogantly like he had seen the soldiers do. Along his journey, he passed a few guards, all of which ignored him as they were busy with their own duties. He turned down the last corridor that led to the study. Two guards stood outside the door. At his approach, they took arms, one asking what he was doing here.

"I have come to meet with Durza. He specifically told me to visit him in his study."

"Did he now? We had no word of this request. What say you to that?"

"Gentlemen, this was a last minute request. Now let me in or do you want to explain to Durza why I was left standing like a fool outside his study?"

The guards looked at each other with confused expressions, but let him pass. "Fine, but don't touch anything. Durza will be here soon. He went off…"

"He went to take care of that impotent Dragon Rider, I know." The guards shook their heads and let Eragon into the room. When the door closed, he quickly observed his surroundings. At the far side of the room there was a lone window. _Perfect!_ After he found his escape route, he looked around to find the jar with the minuscule woman held captive. He did this as quietly as possible, if the guards should look in and find him snooping around, he was done for. When he did not find her within the first few minutes, he began to lose his patience. Becoming desperate, he began to look in odd places like inside a vase.

Heavy footsteps sounded outside the door. Eragon panicked, but did his best to get himself together. _Come on, you made it this far. Don't let some evil, strong, tall, Shade ruin everything…_ Eragon brushed up against a tapestry and noticed a hidden cupboard. He opened it and found the glass jar, the woman sleeping soundly.

The door to the study burst open, an enraged Shade entering. At the noise, Gwen awoke and looked around. "What's going on?" She looked up and saw that it was the Rider who held the jar. Her confusion silenced her.

"How dare you enter my private chambers?" Durza growled, his pointed teeth revealed from under his curled lip.

Eragon stood his ground; by some hidden force, he was given the courage to face the powerful Shade. "How dare you treat human beings like vermin?" Eragon spat.

"You insolent, pathetic, little boy! I will have to teach you a lesson." Durza raised his hand and shouted an incantation. Eragon dodged out of the way. Gwen Screamed and she was tossed against the glass. Durza laughed, amused. "I cannot believe you came all this way to try to rescue that wretched creature." He pointed at the woman. He then stared down at Eragon. "As for you, do you really think that you would escape this place, alive?" Durza raised his hand again.

Eragon avoided the blow, and stood up. "Do you really think that you could underestimate a Rider?" Durza looked at the boy and cocked his head. "Ah, it seems you have forgotten one thing, the Dragons!" At that very moment, Saphira whipped her tail breaking the window into a million pieces. Eragon jumped out, Saphira catching him in midair. He landed with a thud behind Murtagh. From the window, Durza observed them. He was about to cast another spell when an arrow hit the shade between the eyes.

Murtagh notched another arrow, just in case, but the Shade vanished in a heap of smoke. When they were sure that the Shade was gone, Murtagh turned his attention to the guards on the roof. He killed a few before they were out of range. Saphira was hit with a few arrows, but that did not stop her from slowing her pace. She flew until she could not fly no more, and that was miles away from Gil'ead.


	4. Chapter 3

They camped in a small clearing. The night was cool and the sky was clear allowing the moon and stars to shine brightly. "We must be extra cautious tonight, with the moon that bright; the soldier's will be able to see a little better." Murtagh stated. He was weary like the rest of his companions and sat upon the dirt trying to relax a little after he made a place for the elf to rest. She was still unconscious, unsettling them, but they shrugged it off for the time being. They made no fire unwilling to risk the soldier's from seeing the smoke.

Saphira nestled near a tree while Eragon sat down with the jar. Gwen remained quite the entire time she was rescued. Eragon unscrewed the top and gently set down the jar on its side allowing the woman to climb out. When she was free from her glass prison, she stood frozen waiting for what might happen next. "There, you are free now." Eragon said, trying to cheer her up.

"I am only free from the glass jar, but I am still imprisoned within this tiny body." Her voice was weak and she carried a shy demeanor.

"I am sorry about your fate. No one should have to endure so much. But, let us stray away from that dreary topic. What is your name?" He hoped that she would trust him enough with basic information.

"I am Gwen. I know who you are, Eragon. I have heard all about you from…" she trailed off, uncertain of how much to reveal, especially with Murtagh right there watching her every move.

Eragon did not notice Murtagh's reaction when she said her name; he was much too focused on the woman. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Gwen. I am glad that you are already aware of my existence." He pointed at Saphira and continued, "This is Saphira, my dragon. She says that it is pleasure to meet you as well."

Gwen looked at the sapphire dragon. "She is magnificent! You should be honored to ride her."

"Trust me, I am." Eragon smiled. "And this," he pointed at Murtagh, "is…"

"I am Murtagh." He said, interrupting Eragon. "Now, enough of this idle chit chat, she must be starving." He got up and grabbed his saddle bag taking out bread and cheese. He tossed some to Eragon, who broke some of the food in tiny pieces and gave them to Gwen.

"Thank you." She sat cross-legged on the ground and began to eat her meager meal. She tried to avoid eye contact with Murtagh, but every once in a while, they would look at each other, making her feel uneasy.

Eragon did his best not to stare at Gwen while he ate, but he was so fascinated with her that he found it impossible to stop. Saphira snorted, and laid her head down, closing her eyes. When Gwen finished her portion, she yawned. "It's been a long day for all of us, sleep would do us some good, but I will take first watch, is that all right with you, Murtagh?"

Murtagh nodded, "Yeah, I don't mind. Besides, I am probably more tired than you are."

"This is true. I doubt you slept much while I was at Gil'ead."

"I didn't. If it wasn't my conscience keeping me awake, it was Saphira."

Eragon laughed. "Well sleep for now. We trade shifts a few hours before sunrise."

Murtagh unrolled his bedding and fell asleep quickly. Eragon turned his attention to Gwen, "I don't have much for you to sleep on, except this." He pulled out a shirt from his bag. "I am sure this will work for now. It will keep you warm and off the dirt." He folded the shirt a few times and placed it on the ground. Gwen uttered her thanks and crawled onto the makeshift bed. Eragon folded the sleeves over her for a blanket. "There, that should do it." He smiled. "Now, try and get some sleep."

She nodded, then rolled over and closed her eyes. Though her eyes were closed, sleep did not come easily. She tossed and turned for nearly an hour she tried to enter the realm of dreams, but it was not forthcoming. At long last she gave up on sleep. With a sigh, he sat up.

"Can't sleep?" Eragon asked her when he noticed that she was awake. "What's troubling you?"

"I have too much on my mind is all." She said.

"I know how that goes. I lost much sleep with a restless mind."

They sat there quietly until Gwen broke the silence. "Why did you rescue me?"

She was looking at him with curious eyes that Eragon could barely see in the darkness. "I could not leave you in there cooped up in a jar for the rest of your life."

"But what of the other prisoners? You save me and another woman, but you leave the rest there to suffer?"

"Look, odd as this may seem, I felt like I had to rescue you; I felt as if you were someone who was worth the risk to set free. Correct me if I am wrong, but there is something about you that compelled me."

Gwen became a little uncomfortable. "You really think that I am was worthy enough to be rescued? Why is that?"

"Well, I figured that the King kept you alive for a reason, shrinking you instead. I do not know what his reasons were for doing such a thing, but alas, you had to have been worth something to remain alive. That is my logic behind this situation, am I anywhere close to what really happened?"

"No, not really. Eragon, if I told you a secret, will you swear to keep it, aside from telling Saphira?" She was trying to keep from crying.

"Gwen, what is it? Yes, of course I will keep it secret. You have my word."

"You are right about one thing, I am not like other girls, and I mean aside from my small size. The only reason the King shrunk me instead was because he cannot kill me. My mother placed a spell on me when I was an infant protecting me from him."

Eragon became rigid, but his voice was steady. "How did your mother know to protect you from the King?"

"Simple, the King is my father!"

The news shocked Eragon at first, but as he thought about it, he wanted to slap himself for not realizing it sooner. "The king said you were murdered, but that was only a cover up!"

"Exactly."

"You, you are Princess Gwenivere? Wow, I…I…" he was speechless.

"I am the princess of Alagaesia, and as such, I did all I could to help my people. I sent supplies to the Varden, but soon, a letter I sent was intercepted and I was punished with this curse."

"Gwen, I don't know what to say. I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what? This was not your fault, it was mine. I don't regret helping the Varden, my only regret was refusing to leave Uru'baen. There have been a few times where the Varden were able to sneak me out of the palace, but I was too afraid to leave. If I left, my father could say that I was kidnapped and then he would be able to send his troops throughout Alagaesia ravaging village after village until I was found, or falsely pronounced dead."

Eragon listened to her theory and could not deny how incredibly smart she was. "You have a knack for scrutinizing every detail, don't you?"

"I do, call it one of my many talents…or flaws. My father never liked it; he said that I was just a stupid girl. If I were truly stupid, I would have let his words bother me, instead his cruel words fueled my support for the Varden."

"Interesting. I do not wish to bring up any more bad memories, but what happened to you mother? Who was she?"

"The night she placed that spell on me was the night she was murdered."

"Murdered, by your father?"

"Yes." Tears rolled down her cheeks. "She was a supporter of the Varden as well." She paused for a moment to recollect herself. "What about you? I told you a little about my background, what of yours?"

Eragon shifted, then began, "I was a farm boy living in Carvahall with my Uncle Garrow and his son Roran. I was allowed to live there after my mother begged her brother; she left when I was only an infant. I do not know who my father is, my mother told no one. Anyways, until recently I lived there.

I found Saphira's egg in the Spine while I was hunting. I took it with me thinking that is was a stone that I could trade for some meat. Obviously, that did not work out. Even the traders didn't want the stone. So, I kept it until Saphira hatched. In secret, I raised her. Months passed and things began to change drastically.

My cousin left for Therinsford to work, and right after he left two strangers came looking for Saphira's egg. At that time I had no idea that they were called the Ra'zac. They destroyed my home and killed my Uncle. I only survived because Saphira grabbed me and took me far away from Caravahall until the Ra'zac left. When I returned, I discovered the wreckage and soon left with Brom, who wanted to travel with me for reasons I discovered later, to pursue the Ra'zac. Brom was a Rider as well, and he taught me how to fight and use magic.

We traveled far until one night we were attacked off guard by a few Ra'zac. Murtagh saved us, apparently he was following the Ra'zac as well and when he saw us get attacked, he help us. Well, that is he tried to save us, one of the Ra'zac threw a dagger at me, and Brom dove in front of me. A few days later, he died. I miss him dearly. Anyways, Murtagh and I traveled together until I was captured by Urgals and brought to Gil'ead."

Gwen quietly listened to his tale. When he had finished, she said, "And then you escaped your cell, rescued me and, well, here we are talking in the middle of the night."

"Exactly." Eragon said. "So, besides your father, you have no other family?"

"That is correct." Gwen yawned. She was beginning to tire. "What about your cousin? You said he left."

"I did. He left to work so that he could marry Katrina. I do not know how either of them are doing. Heck, I have no idea if Carvahall is still there or if it has been burned to the ground."

"That's terrible."

"Aye."

In order to keep the conversation flowing, Gwen asked him, "So, you were never close to anyone in Caravahall like your cousin?"

Her question caught him off guard. "Huh? Oh, no. I was never with anyone. What about you?"

"No, my father never made any wedding plans for me, and I never became close to anyone on my own."

"Really?" Eragon found that to be surprising. "I figured that someone like you must have been with someone, I mean you're…" he trailed off embarrassed to finish his sentence aware of how forward he was becoming.

Gwen blushed. "Don't get me wrong, there were many men who wanted to be with me, but I never fancied them back."

"I understand now."

"Good, I'd hate to have you confused." She said a little sarcastically. After, she said, "Anyways, it doesn't matter anymore."

"What doesn't?" Eragon asked, confused.

"Finding someone." Her demeanor became sad once again. "Who could ever be with me now that I am cursed to be the size of a walnut?" Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Eragon's heart broke as he watched her cry. "Gwen," he began softly, "nothing is certain. Who knows, maybe one day you will find a way to break your father's spell."

"I doubt it." She sobbed. "Unlike me, you are lucky. You can find someone and settle down, I can't."

"No, don't talk that way…"

"Why not? It's the truth."

"The truth according to whom?

"According to society. I doubt you would notice, but the world is not sympathetic towards small creatures. Who could ever love me this way? No one."

Eragon did not want to argue with her any further. He knew she was wrong because he cared for her, and he had no idea why he felt so strongly for her this early on. _Get a grip! You barely know her. But still, I cannot suppress the happiness I feel when she is around, or the way he eyes sparkle in the moonlight that makes me weak._ He sighed. By the time he snapped out of his thoughts, Gwen had already fallen asleep. Eragon made a silent vow that he would find a way to help her. "Sweet dreams, Gwen."


	5. Chapter 4

Murtagh watched Gwen sleep. He was surprised to find that she was still alive after her father declared that she was dead. His happiness was concealed behind a mask like many of his other emotions; growing up, he learned that it was best to never really show your true feelings. That was his philosophy, and he would always try to stick to it. His feelings for Gwen were unlike his feelings for anyone; he loved her, but he was unsure if he would ever admit it to her. After all, how could he provide for her, and even if he could find a way, she was now tiny. With a heavy sigh, he grabbed a piece of bread from his pack and began to eat.

After a few bites, he thought he heard something. Standing up and unsheathing his sword, he looked around the camp.

"Murtagh, what are you doing?" Gwen asked, with a yawn.

Murtagh shifted his attention to look at the woman. "I thought I heard something, but maybe I am going mad."

Gwen yawned again. "At least this proves that you are alert. If anyone was out there, they would not be able to take you by surprise."

He nodded and put his sword away and sat back down again. He broke off a few pieces of bread and handed them to Gwen. "Eragon should know who you really are."

Gwen ate a few bites before replying. "There is no need for you to be concerned, I already told him last night."

"Oh, well then, that is great. Do you think there is a way that he might be able to lift your curse?" He said, trying to keep their conversation going.

"I am not sure there is anything he can do. I thought that only the one who casts the spell can lift it, and even then that is almost impossible to do. I fear that I will remain this way for the rest of my life." She took another bite to calm herself down.

"Well, I guess that there might be some advantages to being extremely tiny. You can easily hide from anyone for one."

Gwen laughed. "You always like to cheer me up, don't you?"

Murtagh became uneasy. "I am just trying to find some good in all this."

"I am sure you are, but it still made me feel better." She smiled up at began to stir. Gwen glanced at him and said, "How long have you known Eragon?"

"Not very long, but I already know that he is a good man. I did not believe him when he said that he saw you trapped in a jar. Despite my protesting, he still risked everything to save you. If I had things my way, you would still be a prisoner at Gil'ead." Murtagh averted his eyes, ashamed.

"Do not feel bad; I have been rescued, and that is all that matters now." She said to cheer him up, like he had done for her.

"What matters now is making sure that we are not caught until we reach the Varden."

"Are you really going to the Varden, or will you sneak away before then?"

"I do not want to go, but I fear that I might now have much of a choice at this point. Eragon can use all the help that he can get."

"You are a good friend to him; I hope he knows that."

Murtagh shrugged. Eragon finally woke up and stretched, Saphira stirring as well. They said their good morning and ate some breakfast before breaking camp. Eragon latched the unconscious elf on Saphira's back and then hopped on Snowfire. Gwen traveled with Eragon by sitting on his shoulder, holding onto the collar. They also agreed that she could hide in his shirt pocket if need be. The rest of the morning was spent traveling south along the Ramr River. At midday, they crossed the river and headed southwest heading towards the Hadarac Desert, and eventually, the Boer Mountains.


	6. Chapter 5

Over two weeks had passed and the company was now traveling among the Beor Mountains. Eragon had led them safely across the Hadarac Desert, using magic is get water from the ground, and now they were finally walking along the length of the mountains. The range was larger than any of them had ever imagined making them all feel very small, especially Gwen.

Only a few days ago, Eragon had to probe the unconscious elf for directions to the Varden. While he had done so, he discovered that the elf was poisoned and would die soon if she did not get treatment. Now, they were on a mad rush in search of the Varden to save the elf. For the second time, Gwen witnessed his deep sense of compassion for others.

During their time together, she had grown very close to him. Every night she would stay up late and talk to Eragon about various topics, engaging in some very interesting conversations. The more she got to know him, the more she was falling in love with him. The feeling was mutual, for Eragon began to have stronger feelings for her as well.

They stopped at midday at a pond to rest up. Saphira was off hunting, so the elf was lying on the ground. Eragon sat upon the ground, Gwen sitting on his leg. They were just casually talking when they suddenly heard a sword unsheathe. Immediately, Eragon turned his head to see about twenty horsemen galloping towards them. Concerned, Eragon placed Gwen in his shirt pocket to keep her hidden. "Do you think they could be from the Varden?" asked Murtagh asked, placing a blanket over the elf to keep her hidden as well.

Eragon shook his head, "I doubt it, according to Arya's directions, we are still leagues away." Eragon contacted Saphira and told her to stay out of sight, but to remain close just in case.

When the horsemen saw Eragon and Murtagh, they raised their weapons and surrounded them. Then, their leader crossed his arms and scrutinized them. Raising his eyebrows, he said, "Well, these are better than the usual dregs we find! At least we got healthy ones this time. And we didn't even have to shoot them. Grieg will be pleased."

Eragon had a sinking feeling in his gut. "Now, would you be so good as to drop your weapons, and my men will not turn you and your companion into living quivers by my men." The men chuckled.

Murtagh shifted his sword, "Who are you, and what do you want? We have the right to travel through this land, and you have no right to stop us."

The leader sneered, "I have every right, and as for my name, slaves do not address their masters in that manner, unless they want to be beaten."

Eragon cursed silently to himself. He began to remember the slave auction he had seen in Dras Leona, his anger, and hatred, rising. "Now, put down your weapons, and surrender!" When Eragon and Murtagh refused, the slavers tensed. The leader stepped down from his horse, and began to walk towards Eragon, his cold eyes staring at the young man. He had a hand on his sword, ready to attack.

Behind him, Eragon heard a rustle, and then a loud curse. "Torkenbrand, this one's an elf!" The leader grinned and grabbed Eragon by his shirt. His hand twisted the material as he lifted Eragon about a good two inches off the ground.

"Your little friend will shower me in heaps of gold! The Empire will do anything to get their hands on the likes of her."

Inside the pocket, Gwen squirmed, trying not to be crushed by the man's hand. She could feel Eragon's heart beating frantically and wondered what he was thinking. Then, she felt a jolt. The hand was removed from Eragon's shirt and thrown against his chest.

Torkenbrand, unsheathed his sword, his men rushing to his aid, grabbing Eragon by his shoulders and forced the weapon from his hand. With his hands held tightly behind his back, Torkenbrand raised the tip of his sword and placed it on Eragon's neck.

_Saphira, help! _Murtagh tried to help Eragon, but there were too many men, and eventually he was no better off than his companion. "Now, let us see what you have in your pocket." Torkenbrand hooked his finger on the pocket to open it and then peered in. "What in the world?" He lifted the tiny girl, who began to fidget and scream for him to put her down. "Men, take a look at this, a miniature broad! With the elf and this girl, we will be richer than the governor! Boys, this is our lucky day!" he laughed.

"Sir, put her down. I will only ask you once." Eragon stated, with a serious tone.

"Look at you trying to act so tough. Boy, you ain't got anything on me. Keep that attitude, and my men here will be more than happy to beat you to a pulp, and then you will be forced to walk all the way back to our outpost. Seeing as you are young, and healthy, that should not be a problem for you. Rich men will be more than willing to pay for you to serve them."

_Saphira now!_ Saphira flew overhead with a vicious growl. Torkenbrand's men let go of Eragon and Murtagh in fear, running to their horses. Diving low, Saphira grabbed one of the men, and threw him against the rocks. Eragon knelt down and grabbed his sword and raised it to the leader's throat. "I am more than what you take me for. Give me one good reason not to slit your throat."

Fear gripped the man. He handed over Gwen and dropped his sword. Raising his hands to signal his submission, he said, "Please, show mercy on me."

"Why would I give mercy to one who does not give mercy? If I wasn't a Rider, you would have taken me and sold me as a slave. Now that you know that I am no simple man, you immediately grovel and expect me to take pity upon you? Men like you are for the worms." Eragon swung his sword, and with one swift motion, decapitated the man. His men were on their horses trying to flee, but Saphira caught up to them and took most of them down. The one's who escaped the dragon's wrath soon met Murtagh's. When all the slavers were dead, they regrouped.

Gwen was sitting on Eragon's shoulders. She sensed that he did not want to kill the man, wretched as he was, but knew that he had no choice. He had discovered too much, and they could not have him running back to the empire with news about the Rider and his companions. "Eragon, you did what you had to do. Do not let this fester within you because no matter what you do, you will never be like that man, or men like him. The fact that you take no pleasure in killing him proves that. So, please, let it go and let us be off. We have lingered here for far too long."

"You are right." He turned around, gathered his belongings, and climbed on Snowfire. "Let us leave this unpleasant place. We have much ground to cover, and less time to cover it in." With a quick kick and an exclamation, Snowfire took off into a gallop.


	7. Chapter 6

Let Me Be Your Wings

Chapter 6

The company halted at the edge of the water a good fifteen feet from the waterfall. They had been running from a large band of Kull for the past few days as they searched for the Varden. Murtagh scowled at the sight. "We're trapped! What are we going to do?" He rammed his finger into Eragon's chest. "This is all your fault!"

Eragon brushed Murtagh's hand away. "We will be fine. We have to swim to get to the entrance of the Varden."

"Swim where? I do not see any entrance."

"Under the waterfall. Arya's vision was clear on that." Saphira flew above them and could easily see the Kull closing in. "Come on, we have to hurry." He raised his hand to his shoulder allowing Gwen to walk onto his palm. "The current in the water will be too strong for you. The only way I can think of to get you through is if I put you in the jar." Gwen nodded and allowed him to place her in the jar that had been her prison for many months. Eragon then jumped into the cold, clear water with the jar in his hand.

Murtagh sighed and jumped in after Eragon. They swam vigorously to force themselves past the waterfall. Once through, the water became still and easy to swim through. Heading toward the surface, they noticed that they were in a cave of some sort. Eragon gulped for air when his head reached above the water. Within a few seconds, Murtagh popped his head up as well. Eragon tipped the jar upside down to let the water in the jar leak out from the holes.

On the ground in front of them stood five men with spears pointed at them. Behind them they heard another man ask what they were doing here. "We came to seek refuge from the Varden."

As Eragon spoke, the man revealed himself. He was a tall man with dark skin. He had long black hair and brown eyes and held an air of importance. Around him, other men began to pile in. "I am Ajihad, the leader of the Varden. What are your names?" He allowed Eragon and Murtagh to exit the water, but the men still had their spears pointed at them.

"I am Eragon, the Dragon Rider. My companions are Murtagh and the Princess Gwenivere." He held up the jar that held the miniscule woman. "My Dragon, Saphira is still outside. She is carrying the elf named Arya who was poisoned by a Shade."

Ajihad looked over Eragon and his companions. He was confused about Gwen, but did not question them at that moment. "If you are the Rider, then call your beast inside."

A short man next to Ajihad said. "If it attacks, you will die first." Eragon called Saphira inside. The dragon soared through the waterfall soaking some of Ajihad's men. With awe, they stared up at the magnificent creature. Like Eragon had said, Arya was strapped to Saphira's back. With a snap of his fingers, Ajihad had his men stand down and attend to the elf.

"Our healers will make her well. I thank you for bringing her to us." Once Arya had been taken away, Ajihad began to question him about the princess. "We were all told she was dead, so how did she get like this?"

"Her father could not kill her because of a spell her mother placed on her when she was a child. Instead, he shrank her and placed her in this glass jar where he kept her prisoner. I first saw her at Gil'ead where I too was held captive. I rescued her along with the elf Arya and we journeyed here." The leader seemed satisfied with that answer and relaxed a little. Everything seemed to go well until he began looking over Murtagh once more. After about a minute, Ajihad snapped his fingers once more saying, "Seize him!"

Gwen gasped at the same time Eragon screamed, "No! He saved my life."

"He is the son of Morzan, the traitor."

"What?" he looked at Murtagh. "Is it true?"

"A son doesn't choose his father." He broke free from the guard's grip and lifted up his shirt and turned around. Starting from his shoulder and stretching to the other side of his back was a scar. "This is the only thing he gave me. I hated that man until the day he died."

"Lock him up!" the leader ordered.

"Then you had better lock me up as well!" Gwen's sudden voice cut through the air.

Eragon glanced down at the small woman who was still in the jar. He unscrewed the top and let her jump onto his hand. One of the leader's men took the jar from him. Ajihad sighed at her request. "Gwen, you have proven your loyalty to the Varden, he has not. As far as we know, he is a traitor like his father."

"He is nothing like his father. Please, allow him the chance to prove himself."

Ajihad thought for a moment then said, "Fine." He motioned for two bald men, who looked identical, to step forward. "No one can enter the Varden without first being tested. The Twins are here to probe your minds. Should any of you fail or refuse to be probed, you will be locked up." He looked at Murtagh as he spoke. "Do you submit?"

Murtagh shook his head. "No one will be allowed to enter my mind."

"Murtagh, please. If you do this you will not have to be locked in a cell." Eragon could not help but feel a pang of jealousy as she pleaded with Murtagh. It occurred to him that she must have known him from her past and had become good friends. He saw the way they looked at one another and could not help but to feel jealous. Saphira sensed his emotions and calmed him down saying that he was overreacting.

Murtagh stood firm with his decision. "No. I do not want anyone inside my mind, especially them!" he venomously looked at the Twins. Without further adieu, Ajihad had Murtagh taken away.

"I'm sorry Gwen, but he made his decision." He then began to focus on Eragon. "Now, I will need you to hand me Gwen so that the Twins can probe your mind." Grudgingly, he placed Gwen on Ajihad's palm and released the barriers around his mind.

One of the Twins placed a chilled hand at the nape of his neck while the other stared deep into his eyes. Eragon winced at their sudden contact and immediately wanted to put up barriers. With Saphira's help, he had managed to hide some memories from the two as they delved deeper into his head. For several minutes they wormed around until Ajihad told them to stop. "You have done enough. Now, can he be trusted?"

"Aye. We have found nothing that suggests that he works for the King."

"Very well." He handed Gwen back to Eragon and said, "Follow me. I will take you to your quarters." Eragon glanced at Saphira and began to follow the leader deep into the caves. It was dark except for the light provided by the torches that hung on the walls. They winded around so many corners that Eragon lost all sense of direction feeling completely lost. It seemed like hours before the caves opened up to reveal a vast hollowed out space. "This is the Dwarf city of Tronjheim." Eragon looked up and noticed that the whole area was a volcano. Very little sunlight emancipated through the opening miles above their heads. Also above them hung a giant red sapphire in the shape of a rose. The beauty of it stunned Eragon as he wondered how the dwarves had managed to carve it.

The people who populated the city stared at the newcomers. There were a variety of dwarves and humans among the crowd. When Saphira came into view, the people gasped. Some of the dwarves put on a foul disposition which confused Eragon. Many of the humans were grateful to see the new Rider as an applause began to erupt from the crowd. Feeling very uncomfortable, Eragon was unsure what to do. _Wave at them. _Saphira said. Taking her advice, Eragon raised his free hand and waved. The crowd became louder as some people began to shout for joy at his presence.

"Well look at you, Mr. Popular." Gwen laughed as the crowd roared. "You had better get used to it."

Eragon looked at Gwen. "I know, but it still feels very weird." Ajihad led them away from the crowd and gave him instructions on how to get to the dragon hold that was above the sapphire rose.

"I can take Gwen and you can go relax in your room." Reluctantly, he departed with Gwen and hopped on Saphira heading towards his room.


	8. Chapter 7

Let Me Be Your Wings

Chapter 7

Eragon was quite pleased with his room. It was vast enough for both him and his dragon to stay in and he was honored to be there. He thought about the past Rider's and wondered what other famous Rider's had stayed in the room. He put away his belongings and then sat upon the large, fluffy bed. Saphira was happy about her bedding as well. _This is fantastic! We shall be very comfortable here, _she hummed.

Eragon agreed but he wondered about Gwen. "How do you think they are accommodating her?"

_I am sure she will be well taken care of. She is one of their most valuable allies._

"You are right." He nodded. "If only Murtagh was not so stubborn."

_He made his decision, you know that. You will do well to remember that._

Eragon and Saphira spent some time talking and exploring the room while they waited for further instruction. Both wanted to see the city, but without a guide, they would become utterly lost. Soon, a dwarf entered.

"Hello, who are you?" Eragon asked, politely.

"I am Orik. Please come with me, Ajihad wants to see you." Eragon and Saphira obliged, following the dwarf through twisting tunnels and stairs for a long time until they came to a door. They entered a great hall where Ajihad was sitting at the far end surrounded by soldiers. The dwarf then made his leave.

After some brief introductions, the leader delved into more important topics. He was glad that the Rider liked his room and promised that he would have someone show him around the city. Ajihad then asked Eragon about his journey to the Varden. "I am most curious about the details of your trip."

"My story is very long, are you sure you would like to hear it now?" Eragon said.

When Ajihad nodded, Eragon began. With Saphira's help, he managed to recall his tale. After at least two hours, Eragon finished, his stomach rumbling with hunger. Ajihad noticed their discomfort and dismissed them. They were led to the kitchen where a meal had been prepared for them. "Normally we would have a grand feast, but now is not the time for such festivities. I hope this meal will suffice."

Eragon smiled, just glad to see food in general. "This will do quite well. Thank you." With a bow, the man left. The days that followed the first were just as good. He learned that Gwen had been staying with Ajihad's daughter Nasuada. Eragon met the woman when she came to give him a message from her father. Eragon had also met King Hrothgar, the king of the dwarves. A woman named Trianna offered him a position in the magic group, the Du Vrangr Gata, or "The Wandering Path." He had declined, making the woman mad, but he really had no interest in the group, especially a group in which the Twins were a part of.

Orik had showed him around the city the day after he had arrived, so he was now able to explore on his own once he knew where he was going. His exploration led him to have a visit with an old friend. He had come across a shop that looked familiar and headed inside. He did not see much and was about to leave when a voice behind him gave him a fright. It was Angela, the herbalist he had met in Teirm. Solembum was at her heels staring up at him. They shared an interesting conversation before she shooed him away.

That evening, as he was heading back to the dragon hold, he saw a stand selling nuts. He became curious and walked up to the stand to take a closer look. He saw a basket full of walnuts and decided to buy some as an idea entered his head. He paid the woman behind the counter and hurried to him room.

News of war spread quickly through the Varden. Urgals have been spotted in the tunnels leading to the city. Men were busy preparing for battle as women and children were evacuating to a safer area within the mountains. Eragon was given a few minutes alone with Gwen before he had to get ready. They were in Nasuada's chambers sitting on the floor.

"I have something for you," Eragon said, placing his hand in his pocket.

Gwen cocked her head wondering what he could possibly give her. He pulled out a walnut and set it down before her. "Umm...it's a walnut."

"This is no ordinary walnut." He opened it up and inside the shell there was a lovely soft bed. "Oh my, Eragon, it's...it's wonderful. Thank you."

"I am glad that you like it." Eragon beamed. "I went through as least ten walnuts." They laughed enjoying their meager time together.

"I like it a lot, but why did you make this for me?"

Eragon gave her a look that suggested that her words hurt him. "I had hoped that my intentions were obvious."

Gwen caught his meaning and felt bad. "I am sorry. I know you like me very much, but you must understand that we can never be."

"Why not? I love you Gwen and I want to be with you."

Gwen sighed. "I am extremely tiny. We would never be able to be like other couples. We cannot hold hands, embrace, or even kiss. It is folly to pursue me, Eragon."

"I do not care. I love you and nothing will ever change that."

"None of us know the future. You may very well meet another woman."

"Or, we may discover a way to make you big once more." Eragon retorted.

"One can only dream." She sat down and placed her head in her hands.

"Dreaming is better than nothing." He said, to cheer her up. "You know, I could very well be killed in the upcoming battle..."

Gwen shot her head up. "Do not speak of such things!"

Eragon chuckled. "Fine, only if you agree to at least think about us being together."

Gwen agreed. A few minutes later, Nasuada's servant came to take Gwen while he went off to put on his armor.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Gwen could hear the distant sounds of battle. She was in a very crowded room where a majority of the women and children had fled to. Her guardian, a servant of Nasuada, was kind to her and made sure she was comfortable enough. She even tried to reassure her that everything would be all right, despite the worry in the woman's eyes.

"Karen, do you have any loved one's fighting?" Gwen asked the servant.

"I do. My brother, Jarrod." Gwen nodded her head in response. "I really hope he will survive. He is not much of a warrior and I am so scared for him."

Gwen really felt bad for all the women and children in the room who had loved ones fighting. Eragon had training. He had a dragon and can use magic. He was very well off, unlike most of the men who were engaged in the raging battle. "All we can do it hope and pray," she sighed.

As the hours dragged on, Gwen began to become very tired. She tried to force herself to stay awake but eventually, she fell asleep upon her guardian's lap. Karen dozed off as well, the clanging of metal on metal hindering her from completely falling asleep.

Relief spread across Karen's face as soon as her brother appeared. He was badly bruised and covered in wounds, but he was alive. Nasuada was walking not too far behind Jarrod. Gwen watched the siblings hug, standing on Nasuada's hand. After, she turned to face Nasuada. The woman was not as badly beat up as Jarrod, but she looked just as exhausted as him. She allowed her servant time off from her duties to tend to her brother. Karen displayed her thanks and then walked away with her brother. When they were gone, Gwen began to express her concerns.

"Do you know if Eragon is all right?" The battle was long, but in the end, victory belonged to the Varden once news spread that the Dragon Rider had killed Durza. Gwen nearly panicked when she learned that the shade had shown up, fearing for Eragon. If the shade had succeeded in killing him, the war would have been lost before it even begun and all their lives would be taken mercilessly. The epic defeat of Durza was like sweet music to her ears, until she remembered that killing a shade was no easy task. Eragon had made the final blow and that meant Eragon would be in pain, severe pain to be exact.

Nasuada looked down upon the tiny girl. "Gwen, Eragon is alive, but he is badly wounded."

Gwen sucked in her breath, trying to hold her composure, and nodded. "When will I be able to see him?"

"I can take you to him now." Nasuada started to walk out of the room heading to the Dragon hold.

Dead bodies were strewn everywhere throughout the Varden, making Gwen a little nauseous. The blood, smell, and the sight of so many dead made her stomach churn in disgust. "So many lives lost." Gwen whispered under her breath. With so many dead, it hardly seemed like they had a victory. The very word was almost like bile. This was no victory. Sure, they had barely managed to turn the battle, but victory was not the correct term to use. It would have been a victory if they were better equipped and had more trained men who could fight off the evil the King threw at them without losing so many. Gwen closed her eyes, unwilling to see more dead people.

They jerked open when she heard a man yelling at Nasuada. "You have to come quick!" He said, before waving his hand for her to follow him. Nasuada asked the man what was going on. "It's your father, he…he's dead."

Gwen held on tight as Nasuada began to run, the man leading the way. It took them nearly ten minutes before they reached their destination. Along line of people stood between Nasuada and her father. They parted once they noticed her presence. Ajihad was lying on the ground, Eragon perched over him. Blood oozed from his wounds, but he was already dead.

Eragon looked up and saw Nasuada approach, his eyes red from crying. "He was ambushed and I was too late to save him." Jormundur placed a hand on the Rider's shoulder in an attempt to calm him. Eragon stood up to allow Nasuada to see her father. She handed him Gwen before kneeling to pay her respects, her eyes filming over as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

Eragon paced over to Saphira. Neither of them said a word as they waited for Nasuada. They had to wait several minutes before she managed to wipe her tears and stand back up. Jormundur then nodded to some of his men who gently lifted Ajihad off the ground and began to carry him away. Nasuada followed behind, telling the others to stay behind. "I will plan the funeral where we can all watch his burial, but right now, I want to be with him as he is being readied." Eragon nodded.

Gwen watched as the small procession faded into the distance before talking. "I assume I will be with you until Nasuada gets back?"

He gazed down upon her for the first time since she was handed to him and said, "Yeah, you will be with me." He placed her on his shoulder so that he could mount Saphira, and after, they took off. When they were all inside the Dragon hold, Eragon placed Gwen upon his bed saying that he needed to change. It took him longer than usual making Gwen nervous. She paced the bed knowing that it had to be his wound holding him up.

Eragon returned, shirtless. In his hand he held a white long sleeved shirt, but he did not put it on just yet. "Gwen."

At the sound of his voice, she spun around to face him. When she saw that he wore no shirt, she had a sinking feeling that he was going to expose his wound to her. She was right as he said, "While I was fighting Durza, he sliced open my back." Eragon turned around to reveal a wound that went from his shoulder to his hip. Gwen gasped at the sight.

"I knew you were hurt badly, but…" she never finished her sentence.

"At least I am still alive," he chuckled, weakly.

"How did you kill him?" Eragon put on his shirt, wincing as pain seared his entire body. He then sat down on the bed and held out his hand for Gwen to walk onto. He lied against the soft pillows and placed Gwen on his chest before he relayed his tale.

Saphira was lying down in her bed, her eyes on the couple as her Rider began to speak. "I do not remember how long the battle had lingered before Durza showed up. When he did, I honestly thought we were all doomed. Saphira and I toiled away at him for a while before Arya came to help me. She cut down Isidar Mithrim and as it crashed against the floor, it distracted Durza long enough to plunge my sword into his heart.

"After, I become unconscious and I thought I was going to die. A voice inside my head helped me through the darkness. He gave me strength and said that I was to meet him when I go to Ellesmera. He called himself The Cripple Who Is Whole. He saved my life, Gwen. I know he did. I have yet to tell Arya, but I will when she comes back.

"She left to hunt down the urgals who killed Ajihad," he said when Gwen gave him a confused look. "I should also tell you that Murtagh is missing."

Gwen's eyes grew big. "How is that possible? I thought he was still locked up."

"I convinced Ajihad to let Murtagh fight. He agreed saying that it would be a great way to have him prove himself. He fought bravely, but now he is gone. No one has been able to find him anywhere."

The news unsettled Gwen even more than she already was. "Everything seems to have been turned upside down," she finally said.

"Aye, that is a good way of putting it." The two of them remained silent for a while. Not even Saphira said anything as she had closed her eyes to rest.

Gwen lied down resting her head on her arms. "You know, I have been thinking about what you had said to me before the battle, you know, about us," she said after a few minutes had passed.

Eragon lifted his head to see her better. "I think we can make it work out between us. When you were away, I was so worried about you. If anything had happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. I think I am in love with you" She said, snuggling into his chest.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The week that followed after the Battle of Farthen Dur was very eventful. Ajihad's Funeral was held promptly where he was buried in a tomb like the kings of old. After much debate, Nasuada became the next leader of the Varden. Eragon had sworn an oath of fealty to the new leader, despite his silent protesting. He wanted to be a free Rider, unbound to anyone, but in times of war and uncertainty, he had to prove that he would serve the Varden under Nasuada's leadership.

The people of the Varden called Eragon 'Shadeslayer.' He tried to tell them that he did not defeat the shade of his own, but no one listened. He made the final blow and therefore he was the hero. One day, a woman latched onto his leg as he was mounting Saphira. In her arms was an infant who had lost both her parents. The woman who held the babe was old and begged him to bless the child. People started to crowd around to watch what the Rider would do, making Eragon very nervous. After consulting with his dragon, Eragon took off the glove and placed his right palm against the baby's forehead.

A garish blue light erupted from his hand as he chanted, "Atra gulia un ilian tauthr ono un atra ono waise skolir fra rauthr." The spell taxed Eragon a bit, but it did not completely drain him of his energy. Before the woman walked off, rambling off her gratitude, Saphira touched the babe's brow with her nose leaving the child with a silver mark on her forehead. The crowed was in awe, including the old woman.

The Dwarf king, Hrothgar, was pleased with Eragon and offered him to become a member of Durgrimst Ingeitum, the clan Hrothgar and Orik were members of. The offer was very generous and had never once been offered to a human Rider, so Eragon accepted. Orik was the one presenting and conducting the ceremony since the King was busy with other important matters. Both Eragon and Saphira also promised the dwarves that they would find a way to restore Isidar Mithrim. The dwarves were very much pleased to hear the news, and began to collect every piece of the shattered rose.

Murtagh was declared deceased when a scrap of his clothing was found in the tunnels. The news hit Eragon and Gwen hard, neither willing to believe he was really dead. The days dragged on and on until it was finally they day when they were leaving for Ellesmera. Eragon was excited to be leaving Farthen Dur for the world above. He wanted to ride on Saphira under the warm sun and blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds, the wind dancing through his hair. He was impressed by the dwarfs' craftsmanship, but he needed fresh air.

Orik went with Eragon and Saphira, Arya, and Gwen to the elf city as a means to have a dwarf ambassador witness the Rider's training. Arya was not keen on having the dwarf tag along, but there was nothing that could be said to deter him from coming. It took the company hours before they were out of the tunnels completely. They made a stop in the dwarf city of Tarnag before pressing on along the Az Ragni on rafts. When they reached Hedarth, an elf outpost, they would abandon the rafts and travel on donkeys, or at least the dwarf's would. Eragon had his horse, Snowfire with him and Arya insisted that she would travel on foot, running along with the four-legged beasts.

Eragon was in charge of taking care of Gwen. Since she had traveled with him before and their feelings for one another had become apparent, it made sense that he was the most suitable to take care of her. From the point of view of their companions, the relationship between Eragon and Gwen looked futile, but no one had the heart to express their thoughts to the Rider. There was no reason to tell them otherwise when they were so happy together, their love strong at the moment.

It was a pleasant afternoon, the raft swaying lightly along the waves of the river. Eragon was sitting against the side of the craft dipping his fingers in the cool water. Gwen was sitting on the ledge watching him play with the water. "Is it cold?" She asked, merely out of boredom.

"Why don't you be the judge?" Eragon pulled his hand out of the water and allowed a drop to fall on Gwen. The droplet crashed against her head, splattering her small body.

"Very funny," she said, shaking off the water.

"I take it then that you would not like to go for a swim later on?" Eragon asked, laughing a little.

Gwen sighed and looked down at the water. "I never learned how to swim and now that I am tiny, swimming is not something that I would want to do."

Eragon dried off his hand with his shirt. "Well, if we can't swim, then we should fly. Come with me and let me be your wings."

"What?" She saw him place out his hand and realized that he was being serious.

"Well, technically Saphira will be our wings, but you get what I mean. Come on." He urged her. Gwen stood up and walked onto his palm. He informed the other's that he was going to fly on Saphira with Gwen. Saphira was swimming along the raft and pulled in closer so that Eragon could easily jump onto her back. Gwen was standing in Eragon's shirt pocket holding on tight as the dragon dipped below the water, and gaining momentum, swam towards the surface. She re-emerged spreading her wings and took flight along the invisible air current.

The last time Gwen was "on" Saphira was when she was rescued from Gil'ead. Back then, she was still in her glass prison and too frightened to enjoy the flight. Gwen stretched out her arms and whooped in delight as the wind pressed her against Eragon's chest as if she were stitched onto the shirt he was wearing. Saphira hummed as she twisted around in the open sky, the vibrations from her chest sounding like a cat purring. The earth below looked like a quilt-the river a blue piece of string against the patches of green. In the distance, she could just make out the Beor Mountains, and looking ahead, a small, hazy line of dark green signaling the forest of Du Weldenvarden.

They flew on Saphira until the yellow orb began to descend. They landed next to the camp made along the river and ate some dinner. That night, Eragon took first watch. Next to him, Gwen was awake lying in her walnut bed staring up at the starlit sky. It was peaceful as the sounds of nature nearly lulled her to sleep. As she thought about her day with Eragon, she said, "Thank you."

Eragon looked down at her, his head cocked in confusion. "For what?"

"For letting me ride on Saphira with you. It was the most exhilarating experience of my life. I understand why you love flying with her so much."

He smiled saying, "You're welcome. I am glad you enjoyed yourself." He poked the dying fire with a stick and went on to say, "So, you really do not know how to swim?"

Gwen nodded. "I do not even float."

Eragon thought for a moment, continuing to poke the fire. "I guess one day I will also have to be your fins."

Gwen began to laugh heartily. "Perhaps, but you realize how ridiculous you sounded just then-right?" Eragon joined in her laugher.

"I was being serious, but yes, that did sound ridiculous." Their laughter began to dissipate after a few minutes when Arya began to fidget in her sleep.

"We should be a little quieter," Gwen said, stifling her giggles. "How do you think Ellesmera will be?" She asked, changing the subject.

Eragon shrugged. "I am not sure."

"Same here. I wonder what Queen Islanzadi will react once she learns that I am still alive?"

Eragon chuckled, "I presume she would be delighted once her initial shock has faded."

"That was a rhetorical question, you know."

"Eh, I felt inclined to answer." He was silent for a while, listening to the crickets sing before he sighed and said, "You know, I really hope that the elves will not be like the humans and dwarves."

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked, stepping out of her bed and climbing onto Eragon's leg.

"It would be nice if they would see me as you do- as Eragon the person instead of Eragon the Rider. It would be nice to be recognized for who I am instead of what I am."

"I know what that is like. You know, I am starting to be glad that I became small. I feel as if we have been able to know one another much better this way." Her tender smile calmed Eragon as he took a deep breath and exhaled slowing to relax himself.

"I think you are right, but that will not stop me from finding a way to break the spell." They talked a while longer before Eragon awoke Orik and went to bed.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The Journey to Du Weldenvarden took less than two weeks to complete. At the forests' edge, they were welcomed by a host of four male evles. They were all tall, thin, and muscular with almond shaped eyes and angular shaped faces. They were, of course, very fair and walked with such grace and elegance that it looked more like they were walking on air. Arya did not seem very comfortable, even among her race, which struck Eragon as odd. He figured she would be happy to be returning home, but instead, it seemed she had traded one fear for another.

They were very fortunate that they arrived safely to the great forest and the rest of their company relaxed once they were safely beneath the canopy of trees away from the open where prying eyes could see them. "You do realize that you and I will be the first humans to have seen Ellesmera," Gwen whispered into Eragon's ear. She was sitting on his shoulder as they entered the elf city of Ceris. More elves greeted them with jubilant visages as beautiful music rang throughout the woods.

"I know, and thus far I am enjoying Ceris. If Ellesmera is anything like this, albeit, much grander of course, then we are in for a real treat." He said, as he saw a host of merry elves beginning to dance in a circle, their laughter overpowering the music. The sound was unlike any sound he had ever heard before and it suddenly struck him that this was the first time he had heard a laugh from an elf. Arya never acted in such a manner that he never really thought about such things. Now that he had heard their laughter and seen them dance, he began to feel light and merry himself as their song became seductive.

"This is wonderful." Gwen said, the music having a similar effect on her. That evening, they were spoiled by the elves' hospitality. They enjoyed freshly baked bread with warm honey, assorted berries and nuts, vegetable soups and salads, and crisp red wine. The dwarves did their best not to complain about the lack of meat and ale as they elves did welcome them with open arms.

The next day, their dwarf escort began to prepare for their journey back to the Varden. Eragon was disappointed when he learned that he had to give up Snowfire for another raft. One of the dwarves offered to take good care of the horse while he was away. Eragon turned to face the company of elves and stepped onto the raft. Compared to the evening before, Eragon felt a little gloomy again. Gwen noticed his foul disposition and said, "Cheer up. Everything will be fine. You'll see."

After several days beneath the trees, Eragon began to feel constrained once more, itching to fly with Saphira. The elves agreed to let Eragon and Gwen fly upon the dragon telling him to contact them frequently to prevent them from getting off course. For the second time, Gwen enjoyed another exotic ride upon the dragon. Saphira had grown a lot since Gwen had met her that night in Gil'ead. She was now a queen of the sky.

The elves continued to let them fly for the remainder of their journey, that is, until they became less than days walk to Ellesmera. At that point, Eragon was eager to walk in order to see the city much better. The trees began to thin out more and more allowing the sun to peak though, warming the air around them. It actually took Eragon a while to realize that some of the trees were morphed seamlessly to create houses for the elves to live in. Unlike the dwarves who carved their stone houses, the elves had sung to the trees to create theirs. It was magnificent to behold, taking his breath away.

Suddenly, they were surrounded by a plethora of tree houses and it occurred to Eragon that they must already be in Ellesmera. The four elves at the front led them around the city for a while until stopping before a vast tree with a vine wrought door inscribed with delicate letters. It was beautiful indeed. "Wait here so that I may introduce you to the Queen," said one of the four elves. They did not wait long before they were summoned into the great hall.

It was long and dotted trees and elves of the court, leading up to the throne where the Queen was sitting, a white raven perched on a wooden staff in her hand. The woman had dark eyes and hair much like Arya, and held her head high with authority. The scene was almost alarming in a way, but Eragon dismissed the thought as he made his way across the room with his companions. As soon as they all stood a few feet before her, the Queen softened her gaze and stood up with her arms outstretched and ran over to Arya. "O my daughter, I have wronged you."

Eragon's jaw dropped. Gwen was not as shocked as Eragon, but she was still quite surprised at the announcement. Saphira, interlinked with Eragon, shared a similar emotion, but Orik looked a little irritated. The Queen displayed much relief at the sight of her daughter as she continued to embrace and apologize to Arya. Arya kept her composure and calmly accepted her mother's receptive behavior. Not long after, Arya began to introduce her companions. "Mother, I want to formerly introduce to you Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Brightscales. Along with them is Gwenivere, the Princess of Alagaesia and Orik of the Durgrimst Ingeitum clan."

Queen Islanzadi paced over to her guests. "So, the rumors are true; Alagaesia has been blessed with another rider, and one who bears a powerful name. Welcome to Ellesmera. The same to you, O dragon. The two of you have brought hope to our land. " The Queen then stared down and the miniscule woman sitting on Eragon's shoulder.

"Good heavens!" The Queen shrieked. "Is that really you, Gwenivere?" The girl nodded at the Queen.

"It is your majesty. My father did not kill me at all-he was unable to since my mother placed a spell on me that protected me from him. Alas, he managed to shrink me instead."

"I am thankful that you are alive, though, I am sorry to see you in such a state. Perhaps there is someone here who can help you." The Queen reassured her. Gwen dipped her head and said her thanks. "I hope that you will enjoy your stay here nonetheless."

Finally, she addressed Orik. "How fares you, dear dwarf?" Orik inclined his head.

"For not being underground, I am doing quite well, your majesty."

"I assume Hrothgar sent you here as an ambassador?"

"Aye, that is correct."

Islanzadi took a deep breath and said, "A good portion of Eragon's training will be kept secret from all of us, but I will see to it that you will witness what you can in order for you to have something to report back to your King." Orik thanked the elf queen.

"I hope you will find it comfortable enough here in Ellesmera." She said to him before ascending her throne. Once introductions were made, the Queen then inquired about their journey. Eragon began, stating how he had found Saphira's egg in the Spine. As he had already relayed his tale more than once, he had no problems stating it before the Queen and her court. When Eragon finished, Arya chimed in to tell her story. Finally, Gwen told hers. Hours later, the Queen stood up and said, "Enough, you must be tired and hungry. After hearing of such evil things, let us now dwell on thoughts of celebration. My daughter has returned, a dragon and her rider have appeared, Gwen is alive, and an honorable member of King Hrothgar's family has arrived. I will see to it that we celebrate in the proper fashion!"


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Eragon awoke the next morning feeling a little groggy. The celebration the night before took a toll on him as he drank too much wine and stayed up too late. He was thankful for the accommodations the elves provided him with that allowed him to sleep comfortably. He was staying in a tall, vast, tree house with several rooms. Outside his bedroom was Saphira's. It was large and sturdy to support a mighty dragon such as Saphira with plenty of room left over for her to move freely around. The craftsmanship was by far the best he had ever seen.

Eragon staggered out of his bed heading to the wash-bin. The cold water felt good against his skin waking him up even further. As he looked around his room, he noticed that there were some clothes laid out for him as well as some food. With nothing else to do, he stripped himself of his soiled clothes and put on the fine elf garment he was given. It was a rich dark green tunic with gold buttons. His leggings were brown as were his boots. The clothes were a little big, but otherwise, he looked good.

Satisfied, he took a bite from an apple. He barely took another bite when he heard a knock at the door. "Come in." he said, finishing his second bite. He nearly choked when he saw Arya walk in wearing a gorgeous light green dress. Eragon had never seen her in anything but a tunic and leggings, so her new look took him off guard. "Arya, you look lovely."

Arya smiled at his compliment. "You look very nice yourself. Whenever you are ready, I will lead you to my mother. Today, you are going to meet your teacher."

Eragon became giddy at the news and nearly scarfed down the rest of his breakfast. Saphira returned after her morning hunt and soon the three of them were off to meet with the Queen once more. She was dressed in red, white feathers decorating the brims of her outfit. On her shoulder stood Blagden, her raven. Next to her stood Orik who was holding Gwen, the tiny woman also eloquently, but in blue. She was stunning.

"Good morning, I trust you slept well?" The Queen asked.

"Well enough thank you." He responded. Queen Islandazi nodded, standing up.

"Come, it is time you met your master." Eragon nodded and followed the woman out of the throne room. For nearly an hour they walked along the trees as they exited the city for the great unknown. Eragon was a little perturbed; he though his teacher had lived in the city, not outside it. Saying nothing, he continued to follow until they halted by a steep cliff.

The canyon was wide and deep, jagged rocks protruding from the side walls. Eragon looked down and saw that he could not see the bottom. He was about to ask why they came all the way to a canyon when he heard a familiar sound. The beating became louder and louder until no other sound could be heard. Soaring out from the horizon, a golden dragon far bigger than Saphira, came into view. The dragon was missing his left foreleg, but that did not distract the onlookers from absorbing his might and beauty. Upon his back, an old elf with long silver hair sat with his chin up.

It was incredible. Eragon and Saphira were nearly in tears as they beheld the duo in the sky. They knew that they were not the only ones aside from the Kind and his steed. The golden dragon landed near the company, the rider sliding off his enormous back. "Eragon, this is Glaedr and his Rider, Oromis, also known as The Cripple Who Is Whole." Queen Islanzadi announced, her voice booming off the rocks.

Oromis carefully walked up to Eragon and Saphira. His eyes were gray and focused. Eragon bowed low before the ancient rider, showing his utmost respect. "Please, stand up tall so that I may get a good look at you." Without a word, Eragon obeyed. Oromis circled around the human almost like a vulture. When he had finished his inspection he said, "You are not what I had expected, but you are able and seem eager to learn. Come come. We must not waste time for it is much too precious." Eragon nodded and hopped on Saphira, flying after the other rider.

Orik grumbled, loudly. "Why were no one of the Varden made aware that there was another Rider?" The dwarf was about to cross his arms, but remembered that Gwen was sitting on his palm. His face was red and his other hand itching to grab his ax and slam it against anything to vent his rising anger.

"Calm yourself, Master Dwarf. There is a reason why his existence had to remain a secret. If Oromis and Glaedr did not survive the great war from many years ago, then who would be left to train the new Rider?"

"Humph." Was all Orik could make out and he turned to follow the elves away from the canyon.

Eragon felt a new sense of vigor rush through his veins. _We are not alone._

_No, we are not, Little One._ Saphira hummed as she flew, her giddiness intertwining with her Rider's. They were undeniably happy-a happiness that they have not felt in the longest time. They had renewed hope in themselves and for the fate of Alagaesia.

_If only we had known about them sooner._

_If we did, things would have turned out much different indeed, but, there is a reason why his had to remain in secret. Be patient, and all will be revealed to us in due time._

Eragon could not deny how true those words were. He wished that Brom could have been there. At the thought of his old master, his heart sank. _I really miss him._

_As do I, Little One, but we should not dwell on the past. _

Eragon took in a deep breath, the chilly air stinging his lungs. Oromis had them land in a large grassy clearing. The location had a house on one side, but the rest of the land lay flat and open. "This is really nice. Do you live here?" Eragon asked.

"Aye, I do. Now, enough of this idle chat. Come inside and have something to eat. Then, we will begin." The house looked a bit small on the outside, but as he passed through the door, he saw that it was spacious. There were numerous bookshelves crammed with scrolls and loose papers reminding him of Joed's study back in Teirm. There was a desk that was cleaned off, save for one scroll half open, a kitchen, a bedroom, and another room full of shelves stuffed full. The elf made his way into the kitchen to grab two teacups, a tray of crackers, and two spoons. He placed them on the table to begin making the tea.

The teapot screamed after several minutes, Oromis steadily getting up from his chair to silence her. The tea was hot, but soothing as it slid down Eragon's throat with a hint of mint. Since the man had invited Eragon into his home, he had not said a word. Eragon went along with the charade until a full hour passed without one spoken word. "I thought we were going to start training?"

Oromis put up a bony finger, hushing the young man. The awkward silence lingered on for another forty minutes. With little patience left, Eragon stood up from his chair. "This is ludicrous! You said hours ago that time was precious, and here we are wasting away the time in your kitchen!"

"Young Rider, do sit down and calm yourself. It does not become you when you have an outburst like that. Yes, sit. Sit and allow yourself to succumb to your surroundings. Listen to what the Earth and her creatures are telling you. Only then can you find real knowledge."

Oromis stepped out of the kitchen leaving Eragon to ponder his words.


	13. Chapter 12

Let Me Be Your Wings Chapter 12

For an entire week Eragon underwent rigorous and unique training. He went to bed late reading books Oromis gave him, and awoke early where he was made to meditate for a few hours. By the end of the week, he was already exhausted. What made it worse is that his back erupted in pain whenever he stretched or moved in awkward ways. The pain was always intense, sending him to the ground writhing.

The mental toll the training took on Eragon was insane. He went from excited to miserable in one week. He was thankful he was with another Rider, but he did not fully understand the training techniques Oromis did. It was Saphira who had to calm him down each day. She was really the only one keeping him sane. Since his training, he barely got to see Ellesmera, or Gwen. He really missed spending time with her and promised himself that he would go see her as much as he could. Being apart from her for long periods of time added to his discomfort and distracted him.

Eragon yawned, but refused to go to bed. Saphira was curled up on her bed, gazing at her Rider. It was a cool and cloudy night with a storm brewing in the distance. Oromis had let them go early before the storm hit, making Eragon happy. He was about to read a book, a book that actually interested him, when he heard a knock at the door. He placed the book on his bed, and said "Come in."

It did not surprise him when he saw Arya enter, Gwen sitting on her hand. "Hello Eragon." Gwen smiled.

"Greetings, Eragon and Saphira. I hope you do not mind our visit."

"I insisted that we come to see you. It has been a while." Gwen said as she stood up. Arya handed her to Eragon.

"I really appreciate your visit." Eragon said, a smile finally crossing his lips.

"How goes your training?" Arya asked.

"Difficult, but I think I will survive. At least that is what Saphira says." His statement made Saphira hum with happiness. She was poking her head through an entranceway. Arya patted her on her head causing Saphira to hum louder.

_Eragon is taking longer to adjust than we expected, but part of it is not his fault. His back wound hinders him._

It was the truth, but Eragon became sour when Saphira mentioned his wound. He did want Gwen or Arya to worry about him. He also wanted to be strong and capable of protecting his loved ones and he knew he could not do that very well with such a wound. He had become tense and breathed heavily making it obvious that the topic bothered him.

"Oromis was unable to heal you?" Gwen's eyes grew big with concern

"No. He said that it was beyond his power. His training is complex and I fear that I may let him down-that I will let everyone down."

"Listen to me, Eragon, you are not letting anyone down. You can only do your best, and that is all we want. Do not give up, or that will let us down." Arya said, her voice soft.

Eragon nodded, still solemn. He looked down at Gwen and saw her distressed demeanor. The conversation irked her about as much as it annoyed Eragon. "I can see this is bothering you." A wisp of wind began to rustle papers on Eragon's desk. "The storm is approaching. We should leave to avoid getting caught in it."

Eragon sighed deeply. His first time to see Gwen in a week and it had to be tainted by a terrible conversation and bad weather. He placed Gwen back in Arya's hand reluctantly and watched them say their goodbyes. When they were gone, Eragon felt like punching something. He needed to vent.

_Eragon, breathe. It will be all right. Come, sit by me._

_ Fine._ Eragon listened to Saphira and curled up next to his dragon after he closed the windows. He sat silently next to her, trying to prevent himself from crying. He fell asleep next to Saphira only to get woken up by the storm. A garish flash of lightning nearly blinded him when he opened his eyes, the tree house swaying in the high winds. Thunder boomed causing him to jump a little. He rubbed his eyes and tried to stand up. He was knocked down when the tree house swayed again.

Saphira laughed when Eragon stumbled again. _It's not funny, Saphira! _ He grumbled.

_Yes it is. _Eragon slapped her on the thigh. _Eragon, I hate seeing you like this. _

_ And I hate being like this._

_ Then please get your mind off of it. Dwelling on something in the past will not help matters._

_ Ah, but this something from the past is affecting the future._

_ True, but we do not know if it may be for the best or not._

_ The best? It's terrible! How can any good come from this? _He pointed at his back.

_You must stay positive though. Remember, your pain is also my pain, and it hurts me just as bad. _

_ I know. _Eragon sighed.

_Well, try to get back to sleep. You need your rest._

_ I will try. Thanks Saphira. _

The next morning, he woke up late. He quickly washed, dressed, and ate. Saphira flew as fast as she could to Oromis's hut, but they were still quite late. Eragon found Oromis sitting on the grass, his eyes closed and his legs crossed. When Oromis finally acknowledged his pupil, he did not scold him for being late. Instead, Oromis told Eragon to do some new poses from the Rimgar. At one pose, Eragon collapsed to the ground in pain. "This is pointless if it is only going to hurt me," Eragon managed to spit out.

Oromis's eyes grew sad, when your pain subsides, let me know. We are done with the Rimgar for today. After several minutes, Eragon stood up. At that time, Oromis explained to Eragon that he needs to become more in tune with nature. He told Eragon to sit down and listen. Eragon refused, saying, "Oromis, how is this supposed to help me?"

Oromis thought for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to explain. "Eragon, look around. What do you see?"

"I see you, grass, two dragons, sapphire and blue. I see your hut, distant trees, and clouds in the sky."

"Excellent. Now, what do you hear?"

Eragon remained quiet for a few moments and then said, "I hear the wind rustling through the grass, Glaedr and Saphira's flapping wings, and of course, myself talking."

Oromis chuckled at the last bit. "Good. Now, the exercise I want you to do is similar, except you are not physically using your eyes or your ears. You are opening your mind to sense those seen and unseen, heard and unheard. You are going to learn how to see the world in a different way."

"Oh, I never thought about it in that sense." Eragon said, feeling sheepish.

"I know, but that is because you are still learning. Now, I want you to sit and open up your mind. When you think you are done, come and let me know." Eragon shook his head. He sat down on a large tree stump, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes. He released the barriers around his mind and reached out at the world around him He sensed a squirrel collecting nuts, a bird calling out to his mate, a deer grazing some distance away, and hundreds of thousands of tiny bugs crawling beneath the soil.

At the thought of so many tiny creatures, he began to pay more attention to them and sensed an ant performing his duties admirably. He spent so much time on the ant that two hours slipped by. When he finally snapped out of his meditation, he realized that he did not really accomplish anything. Feeling gloomy once more, he sauntered back to Oromis. Eragon explained to Oromis what had happened and after, Oromis simply said, "You will do this exercise every day until you do it right."

Eragon groaned, kicking a small stone before him. "What is on your mind, Eragon?" Oromis asked.

"I feel like I am useless, like I cannot do anything right. After my fight with Durza, I have not felt that well."

"Eragon, just because Glaedr is missing a limb does not make him any less fierce than Saphira. Just because I am no longer very young does not mean I am not limber enough to teach you, and just because you have a giant wound on your back does not mean you will not make an excellent Dragon Rider. What happens to us in the past and the present defines who we will be in the future. Instead of letting the wound hinder you, how about you hinder the wound, that is, train around the wound."

"That would be nice, but some of the Rimgar poses are not very back friendly."

"In that case, we will have to find the poses that are still challenging, but do not hurt you back. In order to do that, you will have to do as I instruct. I do not wish to see you hurt, Eragon, but you need to be in shape, physically and mentally. That is my goal for you and Saphira. Your enemies will show you no mercy, so you must be well trained. Please, indulge me, what is man's greatest weapon if used properly?"

Eragon gazed at Oromis, thinking. He went down a list of weapons that could be the greatest weapon, but could never settle upon one. After a while, he shrugged. "I am not sure."

Oromis sighed heavily, "The answer is his mind." For the second time that day, Eragon felt very foolish. "Really Eragon, there is no need to beat yourself up over it."

"Yes, master." Eragon said quietly.

"Come, let us have some tea. It will make you feel better." Eragon followed the man into the hut and patiently waited for his tea. "So, Eragon, how have you liked Ellesmera since you have been here?"

"I do not know since I have barely had the time to see it." Eragon said, sarcastically.

"Omit the attitude, please." He took a sip from his tea. Eragon rolled his eyes. "How about I give you a day off? Just one day. This way, you can see more of Ellesmera and hopefully become relaxed. I noticed how tense you have become and in all honesty, that is your biggest hindrance."

Eragon wanted to speak, but heard Saphira telling him to hold his tongue. To help follow her advice, he drank some of his tea. "Tomorrow, you can sleep in, mosey around, and enjoy yourself, but the next day, I want you back here ready to train."

Eragon nodded and finished off his tea. At the end of the day, Eragon thanked Oromis for the day off before heading off to tell Gwen.


	14. Chapter 13

Let Me Be Your Wings Chapter 13

Gwen became giddy. "A Surprise, for me? Really?"

Eragon was in a good mood since he had the day off from training with Oromis, so with Saphira's help he set up a nice surprise for Gwen. It required the two of them being alone so that they could spend some quality time together. Eragon was holding Gwen and had just told her to close her eyes.

"Yes, and no peeking!"

"I cannot promise that."

"Fine, then no surprise." Eragon said, playing with her.

"Fine, I will not look."

Eragon pushed a branch out of their way and walked into a grassy clearing dotted with wildflowers. "Ok, you can open your eyes now." Gwen obeyed and saw the field, but it was a blanket and a basket that really took her full attention.

"Eragon, this is wonderful! I love it! If I could hug you, I would."

Eragon's smile broadened. "I knew you would like it. Most of it was Saphira's idea."

"Tell her thank you from me. By the way, where is she?"

"She is resting. Her flights with Glaedr have worn her out, so she said she would rest while we went on a picnic. She wanted quiet time and I wanted time with you, so it was a win-win situation."

"That's good." Eragon placed her on the blanket so he could take out their lunch. Gwen's food was already pre-chopped so all he had to do was pour it out of the container onto a small plate. Gwen sat on the side of the plate, waiting for Eragon to get his food. The scene looked ridiculous, but they could care less.

When they were all set, they ate their food, chatting idly in between bites. Eragon had brought bread, nuts, apples, and cheese. When they had finished, Eragon cleaned up and lied down, looking up at the sky. Gwen had done the same and even pointed out how one of the clouds looked like a horse. Eragon laughed when he saw the cloud and for the next half hour, they looked for clouds with weird shapes.

"I wish this day would never end." Gwen said when she was tired of looking at the clouds.

"Same here. I rarely get to see you these days. I miss you when I am off training."

Gwen became touched. "So when we are apart, you think of me?"

"Yes. Do you think of me?"

"Perhaps." They bother laughed. "Yes, I think about you. What do you want to do now?" Gwen asked, unsure.

"I am not sure. After the picnic, I figured we would just go with the flow and figure out something."

Gwen laughed. "In that case, why don't we explore Ellesmera. We may not be entirely alone, but it is better than sitting here with nothing to do."

Eragon was unable to think of anything better to do, so he got up with Gwen on his palm, and headed to the elven city. Gwen suggested the gardens would make for a pleasant walk first and then told him that they could see the art next. Gwen had already seen most of Ellesmera, so she gave Eragon the information he needed on their almost-private-tour. The elves that were around gave hem space so that they could have their privacy.

Nearly sundown, they headed back to the blanket. "Thank you for the tour." Eragon said.

"You're welcome. Please come again soon."

"I hope so." Eragon sighed.

"What is on your mind?" Gwen asked.

"There is so much on my mind and I do not know where to begin."

"I understand. Well, how about we try to forget all our worries and watch the sun set."

"Then, when it is dark, we can star gaze."

"Yes, and if we see a shooting star, we have to make a wish."

"Agreed." Eragon looked down at Gwen. "You know what I would wish for?"

"Wouldn't you wish for you back to be healed?" Gwen asked.

"I would really like that to happen, but I would rather have you big."

It was no shocker, but it still heartened Gwen to hear Eragon say such a thing. "I would love to be big as well, but for the future of Alagaesia, your back is of more concern to me."

"I figured you would say that, but I cannot help how I feel about you. I love you."

"I love you too, which is why I want your back to get better."

Eragon looked at the setting sun, thinking. After a few minutes he said, "Gwen, when I am with you, I feel confident. I know that as long as I have you in my life, I know I will be all right."

"Then I have become your weakness." Gwen said, quietly.

Eragon was about to say something then realized that Gwen was right. She was his weakness-he would give his life for hers. "Everyone has one."

"Yes, but I did not think yours would be me."

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. "You are displeased?"

"Yes. I am uncomfortable with the idea. My weakness is my height and because of that, chances are high that something bad could happen to me. Now I know that if something bad were to happen to me, I would worry what would become of you."

"I know." Eragon combed his fingers through his hair. The sun was already gone, the stars coming out soon. The crescent moon could already be seen. "Think a large part of it is because you are so small. If you were tall, I do not think I would be so worried."

"I sure hope not. Hey, do you think Oromis would let me visit your during your training?"

Eragon lifted up his head and stared down at Gwen. In the fading light, he could barely see her. "I can ask him. He will not let you be around when he is discussing secrets only known to Rider's, but for everything else, I do not see a problem."

"Good. Ask him tomorrow. This was you can see me and train at the same time."

"Given that I am not too distracted by your presence."

"If that happens, he might as well train me to kick your butt!"

Eragon laughed. "Well, I would like to see you try!"

"Oh, wow, was that a challenge?" Gwen laughed along with Eragon.

"Yes."

The stars finally twinkled above them, the night still very young. Gwen lied down and looked up, and the first thing she caught was a shooting star cutting across the sky. It was so quick, she was unsure if she even saw it-perhaps it was her imagination. Regardless, she made her wish.


	15. Chapter 14

**Let Me Be your Wings**

**Chapter 14**

A few weeks had passed since the romantic picnic. Eragon had talked to Oromis about allowing Gwen attend some of his training sessions, to which the elf agreed as long as she was not a distraction. Gwen proved to be an asset to Eragon's training since he aimed to impress her. Oromis marveled at his student's progress and even mentioned his satisfaction to Eragon. The young Rider had managed to learn a lot in such a short time, a very notable feat.

Gwen sat on Oromis's table, watching the elf teach Eragon how to create a fairth. Orik, accompanied by Arya, was present as well, witnessing Eragon's training so that he could make a positive report to his King. Eragon studied the blank tablet before him before he uttered a spell that splashed color upon the tablet. The colors weaved together, forming into a shape of a young woman with long golden hair and bright blue eyes. As the image became clearer, Gwen could see that it was a fairth depicting how Eragon viewed her.

The onlookers gazed at the beauty of the image, astounded. "You have done well, Eragon." Oromis said, patting him on the back. "You have a very interesting way of depicting her." In the picture, Gwen was sitting on top of a whole walnut, a pink rose in the background.

"I would have loved to have created a fairth of her being tall, but that would have been difficult, so I imagined this image instead."

"It is a lovely picture, Eragon." Gwen said, still staring at the fairth.

"Thank you."

His training continued until sundown where he was reminded about the Agaetí Blödhren, or the Blood-Oath Celebration. Eragon decided to write a poem for his project; it is custom that those in attendance of the celebration bring something to share. He had no idea what Saphira or Gwen were going to bring, but he had come up with an epic poem that he thought would prove to be interesting.

In his quarters, he sat down at the desk in the corner and dipped a quill in the black ink. He grabbed a blank sheet of paper and began to write:

_In the kingdom by the sea  
In the mountains mantled blue…_

He wrote until his eyes became heavy and sleep took him. At the start of his dreams, the plot of his poem unfolded. As the dream progressed, his main character become himself as his character's lover morphed into Gwen. In his dream, she was tall, the two of them dancing in circles. As they danced, however, Gwen began to shrink, a menacing laughter taking the place of pleasant music. He picked up the miniature woman as a single tear rolled down her rosy cheek.

Eragon awoke with a wet face. He wiped away his tears, hoping that they did not smear the ink on his poem. Fortunately, they did not. He walked away from the table and curled up next to Saphira.

In the days that followed, the elves began to get ready for the celebration. Eragon found himself to be excited for the event, wondering how it would unfold. The celebration only occurs once every century and lasts for three days, so he was honored to be a part of it, and as the first human man to be in attendance. Gwen shared in his excitement, ready to have a wonderful time.

"Will you not tell me what your project is?" Eragon asked her, wishing she would give in.

Responding, she said, "That would spoil everything, Eragon, so stop pestering me about it."

With a sigh, Eragon relented from his questioning. "Fine, have it your way."

"May I remind you that the Agatí Blödhren is tomorrow, so you need not wait much longer," she reassured him. "I know you are anxious, but patience is a virtue," she said, teasing him.

Saphira laughed, and then said, _We all know how impatient Eragon is; you'd think that after all of his training, he would be less persistent._

Eragon rolled his eyes before he placed the finishing touches on his poem.


	16. Chapter 15

**Let Me Be Your Wings**

**Chapter 15**

Eragon sat upon a massive tree root, escaping from the massive crowd before him. Gwen sat upon his lap, quietly waiting for the celebration to begin. Elves from all over Du Weldenvarden trekked over to Ellesméra to congregate around the famous Menoa Tree. The tree felt more alive than ever, or so Eragon thought, as a soft hum reverberated around the forest. As the time grew closer to midnight, the elves began to disperse from the center taking their seats. At the base of the tree stood Queen Islanzadí, Blagden perched on her shoulder while the werecat Maud lurked behind her.

The elf queen lifted her left arm towards the new moon and waited. Soon, a white orb appeared on her palm, and with light footsteps, Islanzadí walked over to a hollow in the tree where she placed the orb. In that moment, the Blood-Oath Celebration had begun.

Dividing themselves into informal groups, the elves left the Menoa Tree for the forest and clearing that encircled the tree. Long tables were laden with various fruits and vegetables, nuts, cheese, and desserts. With his mouth watering, Eragon approached the table and began to take part in the grand feast as a few elves began to sing, their hypnotic voices ringing through the cool night air.

All sense of time escaped Eragon and Gwen as they ate, laughed, danced, below the trees. Their enjoyment was effortless as they felt like children, but they could care less as the elves laughed and danced along with them. The stress Eragon had dissipated as all thought of war left his mind for the sake of the celebration.

Eragon and Gwen had the opportunity to meet many elves. They met one covered in scales much like a dragon and another that looked more like a wolf than an elf. Then, there were two identical elf women who were joined together at the fingers. The variety of forms the elves took on amazed the two of them. "If you had the power to alter your physical appearance, would you?" Eragon asked Gwen as the identical elf women walked away.

"No, I do not think I would; I like the way that I look. What about you?"

Eragon shook his head. "No. It would be very strange, but I guess that is because we grew up in a human society."

"Indeed. One's upbringing poses a major factor."

On the second day, the elves began to recite poems along with their songs. Eragon remembered both the queen's poem as well as Arya's. They were magnificent poems and Eragon hoped his would be praised as well despite the fact that he is no artisan, writer, or bard. With his heart pounding, Eragon delivered his poem on the third and final day of the celebration. The elves' slanted eyes watched as he unraveled his scroll and began to recite the words on the page.

Gwen listened intently as each verse rolled off his tongue, her mind envisioning the events detailed in his work. When he had finished, he stood there awkwardly at the podium waiting for the elves' reaction. After a few seconds of silence, he ducked his head to take his seat next to Gwen, his cheeks heating up.

"No need for that Eragon, your poem was fantastic!" Gwen clapped the sound barely audible above the humming of the Menoa Tree. Looking around, Eragon noticed the elves nodding in agreement.

"Very well done," Islanzadí said, "it seems as if you have discovered some hidden talent. Your work shall be added to our library."

Smiling, Eragon said, "Thank you."

Saphira presented her contribution next. She flew off into the forest and returned with a stone sculpture. The stone was glossy, the light from the lanterns reflecting off the surface. It was molded to look like flames as the rock was twisted and coiled with magnificent detail. Saphira opened her mouth to eject a steady flow of fire onto the sculpture. When she finally closed her jaws, the stone was bright red and the illusion that it was alive awed the crowd.

"It's beautiful," Eragon and Gwen said, practically in unison.

Once the elves' finished raining their praises upon the dragon, Eragon placed Gwen upon the podium. He recited a spell that allowed her voice to project throughout the crowd before sitting back down. Walking up to the edge of the podium, Gwen said, "I have thought long and hard about what I wanted to present here tonight and finally decided upon this song that I wrote only a few weeks ago."

She was silent for a moment to calm her nerves and to prepare herself for the song. When she opened her lips again, a beautiful song enveloped the area, her voice sending chills down Eragon's spine.

_I had no idea she could sing._ He said to Saphira, who had her eyes closed to better focus on the lyrics.

_Everything has a beginning  
Everything comes to an end  
Take it or leave it, you better believe it  
Be my lover, be my friend_

_Try to deny what you're feeling_  
_And you know that you're heart will say no_  
_Love will last longer, growing stronger and stronger_  
_If you stay and don't let go_

_Oh, out of the light, like a star, like a hero_  
_Love will survive_  
_Oh, taking a fight is a life of a hero_  
_Staying alive_  
_This is a story of love and compassion_  
_Only heroes can tell_  
_Oh, out of the light, like a star, like a hero_  
_Love will survive_

_Heaven and earth keep colliding_  
_But we love on a world of its own_  
_Oh, there you can fake it, just make it or break it_  
_Only you can find the one_

_Oh, out of the light, like a star, like a hero_  
_Love will survive_  
_Oh, taking a fight is a life of a hero_  
_Staying alive_  
_This is a story of love and compassion_  
_Only heroes can tell_  
_Oh, out of the light, like a star, like a hero_  
_Love will survive_

_Oh, survive_  
_Heroes can live on their own_  
_But heroes never die alone_

_Out of the light, like a star, like a hero_  
_Love will survive_  
_Oh, taking a fight is a life of a hero_  
_Staying alive_  
_This is a story of love and compassion_  
_Only heroes can tell_  
_Oh, out of the light, like a star, like a hero_  
_Love will survive_

Thunderous applause filled the clearing once the last note ended. Gwen bowed before her audience, pleased with her performance. Eragon remained speechless as he picked her up from the podium.

_That was a wonderful performance, Gwen, _Saphira said. _We had no idea you had such a beautiful singing voice or that you wrote lyrics in your spare time. Why have you never mentioned this talent to us?_

"I usually feel that most of my work is incomplete and I am very self-conscious of my work. It began through journal writing and I found out that most of my writing began to flow like a poem. The next step was to add a tune to my poems. I never felt the need to expose my talent because I never thought I would perform in front of anyone.

"When I found out about this celebration, I figured that I might as well sing one of my songs." Feeling suddenly sheepish, she decided not to mention that "Hero" was in-part written about Eragon and her.

Their attention was brought back to the front when two elf maidens, who looked identical except for their hair color, stood with their backs together. Leaning over, Arya whispered, "Pay attention for this is of great importance to your heritage to the Rider's, Eragon."

The two women raised their hands in unison to unclasp the brooches at their throats, rendering them completely naked. Tattooed on their skin was a dragon, every scale a different color. Gwen, unaccustomed to nudity in public, wanted to shy away, embarrassed, but their performance kept her eyes locked on the women.

Once more in unison, the women lifted up a bare foot and brought it down upon the ground with a _thump_. They did that two more times before the musicians began to play the drums, then the harp on the fourth _thump_, followed by the flutists.

Starting out slow, the women began to dance, gaining speed as they progressed through the song. The dragon began to look alive the faster they danced. Soon, the women added their voices to the music, their lyrics casting a powerful spell. The elves around Eragon began to articulate the song, Eragon joining in seconds later. He did not know the song at all, but a sudden compulsion made him want to join in. Next to him, he heard Gwen's voice as well.

The dragon tattoo no longer looked alive—it came alive. The louder they sang and faster the women danced, the dragon blinked and opened its jaws, a flame erupting. With a lunge, the dragon pulled himself free from the women's skin and hovered in the air above them. Only his tail was linked to the women below.

His roar was loud and raw, a fierce sound that scared the beasts of the forest. The dragon cast his eyes upon Eragon, and in that moment, Eragon realized that the dragon was more than just an apparition—it was a conscious being. The dragon flew towards Eragon, who instinctively raised his right hand, his palm facing out.

A tingling sensation filled Eragon when he heard the dragon's voice, _Our gift to you so you may do what you must._Arching his neck, the dragon touched the gedwëy ignasia.

Disclaimer: The song used in this chapter belongs to Charlotte Perelli and is called "Hero".


	17. Chapter 16

**Let Me Be Your Wings**

**Chapter 16-Final**

Eragon groaned, waking up alone in his room. He was unsure how he had got there, his memories a complete blur. After several minutes, he began to remember what had happened to him before he had passed out. He sat up, suddenly alert. For reasons unknown, he felt different. Cautiously, he stood up and walked over to a water basin near his bed. He splashed his face with the cold water, his finger tracing the shape of his face. As he did this, he noted how different his face felt.

Alarmed, he looked into the mirror before him to his that his face was indeed altered a little. His ears were pointed and his face more angular like that of an elf, his eyes even slanted. His new look stunned him. Forcing himself away from the mirror, Eragon sat upon his bed.

_How fares you, Eragon?_ He received an image of Saphira standing next to Islandadí at the ceremony.

_What happened to me?_

_It is a gift from the dragons. Stretch your back and you will notice that you will no longer have any pain._

For the second time, Eragon was stunned. _You mean I am healed?_

_Correct._

Eragon stood up and performed a series of poses from the Rimgar with ease. _This is fantastic! _ He whooped in pure delight as he took off his shirt to stare at his flawless back. _Now, we can challenge the King and his minions!_

_Indeed, Little One, indeed. _Saphira hummed.

_How long was I out? _He hoped that he did not miss much of the ceremony. As Saphira responded, stating that he was on unconscious for an hour, he got dressed. Running out of the tree-house, Eragon was anxious to flaunt his new look. He missed his former appearance, but the fact that his back was healed allowed him to accept the new changes.

His senses were heightened as well, he noted, as he ran through the woods. _Does Gwen know of my transformation in detail?_

_No, she does not. _Saphira said.

_Good, this can be a surprise then. _

_I will not give away exact details, Eragon, but there is another surprise for you once you arrive at the Menoa Tree._

_Really?_ Eragon's curiosity made him push himself even faster. Finally, Eragon stopped at the tree, panting. When he caught his breath, he stood up straight and saw the elves gaping at him.

"Eragon, is that really you?" Arya asked, her tone soft.

"Aye, it is me." Eragon beamed. "Tell me, where is Gwen?" He looked around frantically, but to no avail. Focusing his attention on Saphira, Eragon asked, "What's going on? Where is she?"

"I am right here." Gwen's voice cut through the air as the elves parted to make a walkway. At the far end of the path, Gwen stood at her true height, that is, five feet and two inches tall.

Eragon felt dizzy as total confusion enveloped him. Next to him he heard Arya say, "After the dragon touched your palm, he turned to Gwen and blessed her as well. You see, the dragon's intent was to heal you—all of you. Your love for one another has formed a special bond between you, a bond that was strong enough to have Gwen linked to you, Eragon. In order for the dragon to completely heal you, he not only had to mend your back, he also had to reverse the spell placed on Gwen."

With tears of joy, the two lovers raced towards one another. Upon impact, Eragon lifted Gwen into the air and twirled her around before setting her back on the ground, lightly. Gingerly, Eragon played with Gwen's hair for a few seconds, still trying to process that she was not longer tiny. Shifting his gaze to meet her eyes, he began to lean in.

Their love surrounded them like a blanket as their lips touched, their hearts beating in time. The kiss was full of passion and ignoring everyone around them, they remained locked in their love-trance, even after they parted from their long-awaited kiss. Gwen began to giggle as she embraced Eragon for the first time, his strong arms wrapped around her slender body.

"I never thought this day would come." She whispered into his chest.

"Neither did I." Eragon said as lifted her chin and kissed her again.

"Now I will have to adjust to being tall again."

Eragon laughed, heartily. "This is true, but what a fine adjustment it is."

Gwen smiled up at him. "Shall we find a more private location to hang out?"

Suddenly conscious of the elves around him, Eragon nodded and led Gwen away from the Menoa Tree and into a small, but gorgeous, patch of the woods covered with wildflowers. The stars shone brilliantly above them, adding to the romantic setting.

Eragon placed himself on the ground, patting the grass next to him. Without hesitation, Gwen was lying next to him, wrapped in his warm embrace. They gazed up at the sky, not saying a word, but simply enjoyed the presence of one another. They remained silent until a shooting star shot across the sky.


End file.
